By Our Correspondent
MEMBERS of the Gbaramatu/Egbema Host Communities Welders and Fitters (ESCRAVOS) have threatened a total show down with Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) over ten of their colleagues laid off by the Company.
In a letter dated October 2, 2014 to the Warri Area Manager of CNL, the chairman of the Gbaramatu/Egbema Host Communities Welders and Fitters, Mr George Timiyan, warned of a rough time for the company in the days ahead and appealed to the relevant authorities to prevail on the company now to recall the ten members.
While disclosing that the ten affected welders and fitters are indigenes of Abiteye, Makaraba, Opuekeba, Otuanana, Olero and Dibi fields, Mr Timiyan expressed displeasure with the company for the use of non indigenous welders and fitters to work in their land.
According to him; “Chevron is undermining the Local Content Law by this act of using non indigenous welders and fitters to work in our land. The company is now using people from different parts of the country to work in our land and sacking host communities welders and fitters and we have vowed to resist this; we are not going to accept this from Chevron.”
“We want our ten sacked members to be recalled with immediate effect and we still need more of our members to be engaged by Chevron. We want Government to call Chevron to order as we have concluded plans for a total show down with the company over this unfair treatment of host welders and fitters”, Mr Timiyan said.
He stated that; “We are fully set to storm the facilities of the company in Abiteye, Makaraba, Opuekeba, Otuanana, Olero and Dibi to drive home our point. The Company is using non indigenous welders and fitters to work in our land when the host communities welders and fitters are jobless. This act is against the Local Content Law. We therefore call for the immediate removal of non indigenous welders and fitters for peace to reign as we are not going to take this treatment likely. We cannot be left out as far as the issue of employment is concerned in our areas.”
“We the welders and fitters body in Gbaramatu and Egbema Kingdoms (Ijaws) hereby implore all relevant authorities to intervene in this oppression by Chevron; the company has succeeded in increasing the numbers of the unemployed, including the amnesty trained welders and fitters, but we are determined to cripple the activities of the company in the days ahead if urgent steps are not taken to call the company to order”, the chairman of the welders and fitters stated.
